Is the Bible Just about Law?

Several years ago my mother told me about a preacher who delivered a good biblical lesson which concluded with a plea to think and make personal application. He had left the application open-ended making each person responsible. The stay-at-home mom would have a different application than the doctor or the widow; different also than the application to the salesman or the school teacher.

Afterward a friend of my mom snorted, “Why can’t he just tell us what to do? It would be a lot easier if we knew the rules. I could do that.” Many would agree. There is something comfortable in a packaged set of rules. It’s neat and tidy. It’s brief and simple. It is not flawed like a command lacking precise definition such as: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

OOPS! Back up. Those were the words of Jesus drawn from the Law of Moses!

It is true, a packaged law code may sound simple, brief, and tidy. Yet it strikes against the two most important commands uttered by God in which the application is open-ended. Jesus commented on the two Great Commands saying:

On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets. 

 —Matthew 22:40 (NASB95)

In the Hebrew Scriptures ‘The Law’ was not simply the law code known as Law of Moses. It was the entire Pentateuch, the first five books of the Bible. ‘The Prophets’ included the historical books (Joshua, Judges, 1 & 2 Samuel, 1 & 2 Kings), as well as all the books of prophecy. So, Jesus was saying that God’s revelation, up to His point in time, depended on the two Great Commands. All scripture revolved around and was connected to the commands to love God and to love one’s neighbor which both had open-ended application.

We can thank a Jewish lawyer for pointing out the gray area, “Who is my neighbor?” Yet, Jesus gave an answer in the Parable of the Good Samaritan that showed that the lawyer had asked the wrong question. (Luke 10)

The statement from my mom’s friend suggested the same kind of thinking as the lawyer. On the surface it sounds good, “Just define the rules and we can follow.” “Give me a precise definition of ‘neighbor’ and I will comply.” And yet, that is the wrong approach.

Too often, people have reduced the Bible to a set of rules and tried to push those rules on others. As a result, many people have lost interest in the Bible.

In the late 1800’s there was a shift in biblical scholarship. Instead of the inspired Word of God many saw the Bible as mere ancient literature. The literary approach might have partly been a reaction to a legal approach, but it gave way to the view that truth is largely dependent upon history and culture. Based on the trend of modern biblical interpretation many 'Christian' groups have effectively stamped the word ‘Obsolete’ on the cover of the Bible.

However, the Bible still claims to be the inspired revelation of God. The Bible claims to be relevant in giving life answers regardless of location, time, cultural background, history or politics. So, one must either embrace the Bible in its entirety or reject the whole book. There is no middle ground.

The study and application of the Bible can be challenging. Not every question in life is answered directly, not every issue resolved by a single verse. However, if we are going to be true disciples of Jesus, we must devote ourselves to His Word. We will be wise to approach the Bible with a proper attitude and with a patient, thinking mind.


Mark Stinnett

July 27, 2025

'Caught Off Guard' Concerning God's Law

A guest preacher where my mother worships once emphasized that Christianity is a thinking religion. After the sermon a friend of my mom quipped something like, “I wish God could have just told us what to do so we wouldn’t have to do so much thinking.”

I want to show you a familiar passage of Scripture that illustrates God’s expectation for His people to engage in thought even when He has given simple and direct instruction. Jesus said:

You have heard that it was said, “An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.” But I say to you, do not resist an evil person; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.

—Matthew 5:38-39

Jesus did not teach anything new. He simply applied thinking, or discernment, to the letter of the law. Without discernment a person would merely obey the letter of the law.

Let’s be more specific. Suppose a friend accidentally injured one of your eyes. According to the law, justice demands that you injure his eye in the same way your eye was injured. How would you carry out that kind of justice? Can you picture yourself actually looking into his eye and planning a way to injure him just as you had been injured!?

Blind and thoughtless obedience to the letter of the law would result in a nation of people bearing the scars of the eye-for-an-eye legislation. Yet, giving thought to the law one would conclude that it is not practical to demand justice in every case. Rather than injuring my friend to obtain justice, it would be better to show mercy, forego justice and endure the injury.

It is true that the eye-for-an-eye system of justice insures justice, but do we really want justice in every case? Let’s answer by turning the circumstances around. What if you were the one to accidentally injure someone else’s eye. What does justice demand for you!?

Let’s change the circumstances once again. Imagine that one of your children injured another one of your children. (If you are not a parent, let me assure you that a parent’s heart is heaviest when one of his/her children is hurting.) What would you like to see in your children? Would you like to see strict justice so that the injured child injures your other child? Do you really want to have two injured children?

When Jesus taught concerning the eye-for-an-eye legislation, He revealed the mind and heart of God who regards us as His children. God doesn’t want injured children, but children who show mercy and who love forgiveness. God wants His children to grow up to be like Him.

Are you in agreement with my mom’s friend? Would you prefer that God just tell you what to do? Or do you see the wisdom in developing discernment?

King David wrote: “O how I love your law! It is my meditation all the day.” (Psalm 119:97) Can you believe he loved law!? Astounding! What do you think David saw in the law? By meditating on the law and discerning God’s instruction, David saw the very heart of God.

Listen to the words of the Apostle Paul:

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. 

 —Romans 12:2 (ESV)

Discernment is about opening your mind and heart to God’s instruction so that it transforms your mind into the mind of God.

Mark Stinnett

October 3, 2021

'Caught Off Guard' Concerning Life

Kids...!

If you are at an age that you are no longer referred to as a kid, then you can look back with a sigh, “When we were kids….”

For most of us there are humorous stories of kidhood in which we tried to take life by the tail only to find out that life was a tiger. We tried things we should not have tried, thinking, “It won’t happen to me.” We trusted when we should not have and didn’t trust when we should have. We were sometimes gullible.

We thought we could conquer the world and were happy to share our brilliant ideas. Eventually, life intervened and disrupted our idealism.

As parents we want our kids to mature and to enter into adulthood prepared. We are responsible for giving them opportunities to learn and experience life. We also give sound advice in hopes that they will not have to experience some of the greater challenges of life.

I remember being told, “If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is”; and, “There’s no such thing as a free lunch.” You undoubtedly grew up with similar truisms.

We recognize that these sayings are not necessarily absolute, but they are good advice. They were intended to help kids as they journey into adulthood. Parents don’t want their kids to be caught off guard in life.

God must have put that in us as a part of human nature. I say that because he too offered sound advice to his children so they would not be caught off guard in life.

I’m thinking of the book of Proverbs.

Solomon was given an extra measure of wisdom from God and his advice for living can be a better teacher than experience. It can be IF we listen to the advice and follow it. That wisdom will help us to avoid learning by the expensive and painful trial-and-error method, i.e. experience.

The Bible is full of teachings that help us navigate through life. For example, I really do not know what to think about all the things written about climate change. But I remember reading this from God’s divine word:

While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease. 

—Genesis 8:22 (NASB95)

I am unable to use science to challenge whether there is a gene that makes a person homosexual. But I remember reading this in Scripture:

For their women exchanged natural relations for that which is contrary to nature, and likewise the men, too, abandoned natural relations with women and burned in their desire toward one another, males with males committing shameful acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error.

—Romans 1:26–27 (NASB 2020)

I’m not sure what we can do in our country about laws allowing same-sex marriage. But I remember reading this in the Bible:

A man shall leave his father and his mother; and be joined to his wife (woman).

—Genesis 2:24 & Matthew 19:5

The Apostle Peter wrote that God’s divine power has “granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness….” (2 Peter 1:3)

I think everything is rather inclusive.

The Bible is not just about afterlife stuff. That old book is still relevant for the questions and issues of our day. Are you listening?

Mark Stinnett

September 26, 2021

Is Doing God's Will the Same as Obeying God's Law?

The author of the book of Hebrews writes of Jesus, “I have come to do Your will” (10:9). Is that the same as obeying God’s law?

The two may seem to be equivalent, but there is a difference. The difference between the two marks the difference between the old covenant and the new covenant and largely defines how we look at Scripture.

It is true that breaking the law of God is sin (James 2:10). However, the Scripture also says that law is not for a righteous person (1 Timothy 1:9).

Jesus was without sin (Hebrews 4:15). Did that mean that He simply did not break any rules? Did God send His Son so that we would stop breaking rules?

To do the will of God is more than obeying the legal aspects of God’s word. Jesus was not merely flawless according to the Law of Moses. He was more. That was actually the point that the writer of Hebrews was making when he said of Jesus: “I have come to do Your will.”

That statement about Jesus was set in contrast to the first covenant in which sacrifices were offered “continually year by year” (10:3). Jesus introduced a better covenant through a better sacrifice. He presented Himself as a sacrifice that was acceptable to God for all sin for all people for all time (10:12).

But what was the new covenant? A new set of rules?

Jesus said of Himself that He had come to fulfill the Law and the Prophets (Matthew 5:17-20). He went on to say that one’s righteousness must exceed the righteousness of the Pharisees.

In their day, the Pharisees were known as elite law-keepers. They were very strict when it came to the Law of Moses. In fact, in order to keep from breaking the Law of Moses, they created rules that were even stricter. The idea seemed to be that if they stepped over the line and broke their strict laws, they would still be a step away from breaking God’s law.

So, did Jesus mean that His disciples were supposed to be stricter than the Pharisees???

Jesus later taught that the two great commands (to love God with all your heart and to love your neighbor as yourself) summed up all the Law and Prophets. Notice that these two commands are rooted in relationship. They are dependent upon one’s attitude and actions toward God and others. Obedience to these commands is far more than a strict adherence to a legal code. They are more descriptive of God’s will than the rule of law.

As long as we look at the Scriptures as a law code, we will see rules in the form of dos and don’ts. That will only produce a Pharisaical attitude toward the Scriptures. We will argue religious questions, boast in our knowledge and conclusions, and ultimately divide.

The Law of Moses gave the Israelites (and us) insight into the character of God: His holiness, His righteousness, His grace, His mercy, His forgiveness and His love. Nothing in the Law was arbitrary. It all pointed to something about God.

His desire was to produce in His chosen people an attitude of love and justice and holiness. He was trying to teach His people to be holy as He is holy and to love as He loves.

The problem was that Israel could not become what God desired through strict obedience to the Law of Moses. Strict law-keeping never made anyone like God, even if the law was divinely given. God sent Jesus to fulfill the Law, that is, to bring the Law to its natural state of completion. He came to do God’s will, not just obey rules. He demonstrated the very essence of God.

The obedience of Jesus is not about legal obedience but about doing God’s will. It is about sacrificial love. It is about sacrificial holiness. Sacrifice is about me giving up myself. I give up my things to help others; I give up my rights to preserve relationships; I give up my desires to please God. I consciously fight temptation to remain holy before God.

Jesus laid down His life for us and said:

No one has taken it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This commandment I received from My Father.

—John 10:18

Being found in appearance as a man, He [Jesus] humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

—Philippians 2:8

Are you trying to do God’s will or just obey laws??

Mark Stinnett

June 6, 2021

What King David Saw in the Law

Some Christians have reasoned that the Old Testament contains the law for Israel and the Jews; the New Testament is law for Christians. As a result the Old Testament is not given high regard, and in many churches seldom studied.

Is that all the Bible is, an ancient law code with an update for Christians?
I think NOT!

The Apostle Paul said that the earlier writings were written for our instruction. Yet the Old Testament is still largely ignored by many Christians. Let me show you something that King David saw that just might change the way you look at the Law of Moses.

The Book of Psalms is sometimes described as Israel’s song book. The songs range from praises to prayer-cries for deliverance. They deal with physical discomfort, distress in many forms, depression, abandonment, and many other human issues. Over and over the Psalmists encourage humble faithfulness to the God who created, who knows, who provides, who delivers, who shepherds, who saves, who also destroys....

The Book of Psalms is not a law book; nor is it the Christian's ’go to’ book for doctrine. Not surprisingly, of the 150 psalms, only a few refer to the Law of Moses. However, one psalm is completely devoted to the Law. For that reason it stands out as quite unique.

Perhaps better known for its length, 176 verses, Psalm 119 is more important for its attention to the Law. In this psalm King David (the assumed author) saw something quite amazing in the Law.

In general, law is considered to be burdensome and restrictive, and that includes the Law of Moses. Law is composed of rules; it can be difficult to read and it is impossible to follow perfectly. Even so, the kings of ancient Israel were instructed to make a personal hand-written copy of the Law of Moses, the first five books of the Old Testament, and read and meditate on the Law daily.

Psalm 119 records what David saw in the Law. Yes, he saw the rules and ordinances, but in them he found refreshment, joy, freedom, peace, and deliverance. He recognized that God had not saddled His people with arbitrary rules. God had actually revealed His divine character within the Law of Moses.

King David saw the heart of God in the Law. He saw love and mercy and holiness and justice.

God's desire was to have fellowship with his chosen people. However, there was such a difference between Him, deity, and his people, humanity, that he needed to communicate to them how they could draw near to Him in fellowship.

Who is this God that opened Himself to the scrutiny of his created beings? 
Who is this God that revealed his thoughts to mankind? 
Who is this God that directed His people with instruction that would move them into a fellowship relationship with their Creator?

What King David saw in the Law? God himself!

When you pick up your Bible and read the Law, the historical narratives, the poetry, the prophets; as well as the parables and the doctrine and instruction of the New Testament...do you see only rules and restraints? 
Look closer...!

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom,
And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
--Proverbs 9:10

Mark Stinnett

I Have To...Do You?

My son, do not forget my teaching,
But let your heart keep my commandments.
--Proverbs 3:1

For some people religion is a drudgery. Morality is a duty. Living right is a challenge. ‘Church’ is a weekend requirement.As a result, Christianity is often perceived to be composed of confusing requirements, and do’s and don’t’s that do not even make sense. Involvement in religion and religious activities ends up being something I “have to” do:

• “I have to go to church.”
• “I have to put money in the offering plate.”
• "I have to attend this church function."
• “I have to do good deeds.”
• “I have to be moral (At least when parents or the preacher are around).”
• “I have to be obedient.”

It is unfortunate that many preachers and teachers have presented the ‘Old Law’ in the Bible (The Law of Moses) as a burdensome ‘duty-driven’ law. In other words, it is presented as if, it was the duty of the ancient Israelites to robotically obey the rules of behavior to please God (though a difficult burdensome task):

• Observe the feasts,
• Observe the requirements of animal sacrifices,
• Observe the Sabbath,
• Observe the tithe requirement,
• Observe the food requirements, etc.

It is as if God had handed Israel a legal checklist. Yet, man is not a programmable machine. 

Did God expect Israel to obey the laws and ordinances and precepts and commands in the Law of Moses? Yes! Of course; but not merely out of a sense of duty. His desire from the beginning has been for mankind to respond to him from the heart. He desired His people to intend to please Him, adopt His will as their will, invest emotionally and intellectually.

The Law of Moses revealed the character of God. When God’s people honored Him by keeping the Law they would be like Him and also learn something about His divine nature.

Mechanical worship or robotic obedience is far from God’s desire. In fact, a duty-driven approach to God will invalidate one's offering making it meaningless and unacceptable to God.

The wise Solomon captured the essence of God’s desire as he instructed his son to keep the commandments, not through mere external behavior, but from the heart.Today, God wants those who have a fellowship relationship with Him (Christians) to obey His instruction because they understand something about Him and His character; because they love Him and know His love and compassion for them; because they realize the true benefit of His instruction; because they naturally want to please Him...because He is Creator.

So, I am obedient to his instruction...
...Not because “I have to”...an external response of duty,
...Not necessarily because "I want to"...a response of love and devotion,
...But ideally because “I have to”...a changed nature...it's simply who I am.

But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit. 
--2 Corinthians 3:18

Mark Stinnett